Understanding Virtual Dimmers
Virtual dimmers work differently than traditional dimmer channels. Since RGB fixtures don't have a physical dimmer parameter, a virtual dimmer scales the RGB values to create the dimming effect. This means:
The level parameter won't automatically control virtual dimmer fixtures in effects
You need to explicitly set the Virtual Dimmer value in each effect step
Changes appear in the RGB values rather than a dimmer channel
Setting Up Effects with Virtual Dimmers
To create an effect with a virtual dimmer fixture:
Open your effect and navigate to each step
Go to Light Settings for each step
Manually adjust the Virtual Dimmer value (don't rely on the level parameter)
Repeat for all steps in your effect
Important: Make sure the Virtual Dimmer is fully set to on/off in each step—partial settings may cause the effect to not work as expected.
Verifying Your Effect is Working
Since virtual dimmers don't show changes in the normal viewstate pillbox, you need to check the actual output values:
Method 1: Use OUTPUT - VALUE Viewstate
Switch to OUTPUT - VALUE viewstate (Drop down menu at the top)
Watch the RGB values in the pillbox—they should change as the effect runs
The dimmer will show "--" (this is expected since there's no physical dimmer channel)
Method 2: Check Table View
Open Table View
Set viewstate to OUTPUT - VALUE
Monitor the RGB value columns—you should see them scaling up and down with the virtual dimmer
Method 3: Use LivePlot
LivePlot can visualize virtual dimmer effects even without physical fixtures connected:
Open LivePlot
Run your effect
Watch the fixtures respond in the visualization
This is particularly useful when programming effects away from your actual lighting rig.
Troubleshooting
Effect doesn't appear to be running:
Verify you've set the Virtual Dimmer (not just intensity) in Light Settings for each step
Check OUTPUT - VALUE viewstate instead of the normal viewstate
Use sliders instead of typing values if experiencing issues on older iOS versions
Pillbox shows "--":
This is normal behavior for virtual dimmer fixtures
Switch to OUTPUT - VALUE viewstate and check RGB values instead
Still not working:
Test with actual output or LivePlot to confirm
Ensure you're on the latest version of Blackout
Update to the latest iOS version
Performance Note
While OUTPUT - VALUE viewstate is excellent for programming and troubleshooting effects, avoid staying in this viewstate during live shows as it can affect console performance depending on your show complexity.
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